* * *
"Kaiba!" Mokuba's cry was plaintive and fearful. "Kaiba!"
Kaiba glanced up from the computer screen. His little brother was huddled at the doorway, his arms wrapped around a big stuffed bear, his eyes as round as saucers. Immediately, he dropped his teddy and ran towards him, filling up the space in his arms and substituting the bear's neck for Kaiba's.
"The monsters are gonna get me!" he wept, clinging to his chest as if he were fastened by Velcro.
"What did I say about watching those horrid movies?" asked Kaiba with a frown as Mokuba's limbs started to chafe his throat.
Mokuba sniffed slightly. "It was Halloween, Kaiba. Everyone wanted to watch it. Sorry . . ."
He mussed his long, dark hair gently. "Tell you what; I'll finish up this business paper while you get back to bed. Pick a book, and I'll read it you, okay?"
Like magic, Mokuba smiled and bounded off his lap and out to the hallway. "Thanks, big brother!"
Kaiba sighed and turned to stare at the screen. There was no way he was going to finish his paper in due time. Still, he made a promise to Mokuba and planned to do it. He quickly typed up the last paragraph and closed the file after saving it.
Mokuba was already settled in his bed, a book spread out on his lap. Kaiba recognized it instantly and stiffened. It was 'Goodnight Moon' . . . The one their mother gave him when he turned five.
The pitiful excuse of a book was tattered and torn, the edges yellowed and crumbly. Duct tape, masking tape, scotch tape, and almost every other kind of tape that ever existed, tried to fix the ripped pages and ruined binding.
When Kaiba was younger, he thought that the colors were to drab for his tastes and streaked half the book with Magic Marker, moustaches and pirate eyes still remained on the characters of the story. He had scribbled black permanent on some of the words and grape juice stained others, but it didn't matter. He knew the words by heart.
It wasn't like he had tried to restore it any way. He had it laminated to protect it from future accidents, so the dingy severed book had a glossy sheen. It was a pain with cuts.
Mokuba looked up and grinned, thrusting the book into his view. "C'mon, Kaiba!"
Reluctantly, he plucked the book from his brother and sat down at the edge of his bed, the mattress sinking slightly. Shifting, he positioned himself in a comfortable spot, propped up against a high pillow, and carefully opened the book. "Goodnight Moon," he murmured, pausing briefly at the title.
Mokuba snuggled closer to him, his hair tickling Kaiba. He moved on. "In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon and a picture of-"
"The cow jumping over the moon
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens And a pair of mittens
And a little toyhouse And a young mouse"
As he read, Mokuba followed him with his finger, mouthing the words.
"And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush And a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush
Goodnight room Goodnight moon Good night cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light
And the red balloon "
Kaiba felt him slip his arm under him, wrapping him into a hug. As he read, he stroked Mokuba's long, curly hair. Mokuba whined like a puppy and curled up closer.
"Goodnight bears Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house And goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush"
Mokuba yawned loudly, his eyelids struggling to keep up. Kaiba lowered his voice and continued.
"Goodnight nobody
Goodnight mush And goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush"
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air Goodnight noises everywhere . . ."
He stopped. Mokuba was fast asleep before him, his breathing barely audible. Kaiba was still under his octopus grasp and could scarcely move without waking him up. Suddenly, lying there in the bed with Mokuba slumbering peacefully made him realize that no paper would replace the little things in life. Reading the story made Kaiba understand.
"Goodnight, Mokie," he mumbled in his ear, ruffling his mane. He set down the book by the nightstand and turned off the light, falling in a restful nap not long after.
* * *
"Kaiba!" Mokuba's cry was plaintive and fearful. "Kaiba!"
Kaiba glanced up from the computer screen. His little brother was huddled at the doorway, his arms wrapped around a big stuffed bear, his eyes as round as saucers. Immediately, he dropped his teddy and ran towards him, filling up the space in his arms and substituting the bear's neck for Kaiba's.
"The monsters are gonna get me!" he wept, clinging to his chest as if he were fastened by Velcro.
"What did I say about watching those horrid movies?" asked Kaiba with a frown as Mokuba's limbs started to chafe his throat.
Mokuba sniffed slightly. "It was Halloween, Kaiba. Everyone wanted to watch it. Sorry . . ."
He mussed his long, dark hair gently. "Tell you what; I'll finish up this business paper while you get back to bed. Pick a book, and I'll read it you, okay?"
Like magic, Mokuba smiled and bounded off his lap and out to the hallway. "Thanks, big brother!"
Kaiba sighed and turned to stare at the screen. There was no way he was going to finish his paper in due time. Still, he made a promise to Mokuba and planned to do it. He quickly typed up the last paragraph and closed the file after saving it.
Mokuba was already settled in his bed, a book spread out on his lap. Kaiba recognized it instantly and stiffened. It was 'Goodnight Moon' . . . The one their mother gave him when he turned five.
The pitiful excuse of a book was tattered and torn, the edges yellowed and crumbly. Duct tape, masking tape, scotch tape, and almost every other kind of tape that ever existed, tried to fix the ripped pages and ruined binding.
When Kaiba was younger, he thought that the colors were to drab for his tastes and streaked half the book with Magic Marker, moustaches and pirate eyes still remained on the characters of the story. He had scribbled black permanent on some of the words and grape juice stained others, but it didn't matter. He knew the words by heart.
It wasn't like he had tried to restore it any way. He had it laminated to protect it from future accidents, so the dingy severed book had a glossy sheen. It was a pain with cuts.
Mokuba looked up and grinned, thrusting the book into his view. "C'mon, Kaiba!"
Reluctantly, he plucked the book from his brother and sat down at the edge of his bed, the mattress sinking slightly. Shifting, he positioned himself in a comfortable spot, propped up against a high pillow, and carefully opened the book. "Goodnight Moon," he murmured, pausing briefly at the title.
Mokuba snuggled closer to him, his hair tickling Kaiba. He moved on. "In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon and a picture of-"
"The cow jumping over the moon
And there were three little bears sitting on chairs
And two little kittens And a pair of mittens
And a little toyhouse And a young mouse"
As he read, Mokuba followed him with his finger, mouthing the words.
"And a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush And a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush
Goodnight room Goodnight moon Good night cow jumping over the moon
Goodnight light
And the red balloon "
Kaiba felt him slip his arm under him, wrapping him into a hug. As he read, he stroked Mokuba's long, curly hair. Mokuba whined like a puppy and curled up closer.
"Goodnight bears Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house And goodnight mouse
Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush"
Mokuba yawned loudly, his eyelids struggling to keep up. Kaiba lowered his voice and continued.
"Goodnight nobody
Goodnight mush And goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush"
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air Goodnight noises everywhere . . ."
He stopped. Mokuba was fast asleep before him, his breathing barely audible. Kaiba was still under his octopus grasp and could scarcely move without waking him up. Suddenly, lying there in the bed with Mokuba slumbering peacefully made him realize that no paper would replace the little things in life. Reading the story made Kaiba understand.
"Goodnight, Mokie," he mumbled in his ear, ruffling his mane. He set down the book by the nightstand and turned off the light, falling in a restful nap not long after.
* * *